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As Halloween gets closer, the ghosts come out to play each night. So to make sure you get your fill of Texas-sized thrills, visit these 13 spots in each part of the state where you’re sure to see something that’ll make the hair stand up on the back of your neck and send chills down your spine. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, you’re in for a screaming good time!

Deep in the Piney Woods of East Texas, you’ll find this creepy road off FM 787, that was once called Bragg Road, but is now officially “Ghost Road” due to its mysterious happenings. Travel down it in the dead of night and once you turn off your headlights you’ll spot a eerie glowing ball of light down the road that appears and disappears randomly. Many have traveled this road, and no one can find an explanation for the lights. The most popular legend about the Saratoga Lights holds that a man was decapitated by a train when the Santa Fe line ran through the road in the 1900s, and now searches for his head with a lantern through the night.

Though Athens is full of fun and adventure, it also has a darker side that’ll make you go bananas… Legend has it that a circus train was traveling through town when it violently crashed under Thunder Bridge (or Monkey Bridge). The surviving monkeys escaped into the forest, but the ones who died in the accident supposedly still haunt the already-creepy overgrown bridge area (W College St.) The legend goes on to say that the escaped monkeys were gathered up by Medford Fuller and kept in giant cages at Fuller Park, where he did unspeakable things and performed creepy rituals. The overgrown park is still there, where you can see the crumbling stone walls and — if you’re brave enough to explore the dark woods — even Mr. Fuller’s grave and the iron monkey cages. It’s one freaky spot!

Instead of Casper the friendly ghost, aboard the Lexington you might just find Charlie the friendly tour guide! Many folks have described meeting a very kind and handsome blue-eyed young man, dressed in uniform who happily gives tours of the lower decks. It’s not until these folks are informed that the Lexington doesn’t have tour guides that they are a little spooked. Charlie was an engine room operator who died in 1943 when a Japanese torpedo hit the ship, but even so his tours are “out of this world”…

Memphis Man – Lubbock, TX

One icy morning in Lubbock, a man stood waiting for the bus to arrive on Memphis Street, When the bus finally came, it slipped on the ice and killed the man. People now say that when you drive north on Memphis Avenue in the dark of night, you can still see the figure of a man leaning against the light pole waiting for the bus at the corner of 66th St. and Memphis Ave. When you get closer, he disappears.

The Marfa Lights are less creepy and more mystifying. Each night around sunset, out in the distance on the horizon of the Chinati Mountains, you’ll find these unexplained lights show up and disappear randomly. Like a sort of desert disco, they change colors, move around and flash on and off. They’ve been spotted since the 1880s, and explanations range from UFO’s to ghosts of Conquistadors in search of gold.

San Antonio Ghost Tracks – San Antonio, TX

One rainy morning, a school bus full of children stalled as it was crossing these tracks. A train came speeding down the track and the bus was unable to move out of the way, causing a terrible crash and killing 10 children. Now, legend holds that the ghosts of those children push stalled cars out of the way to safety. Park about 50 ft. before these tracks on Shane Road, put the car in neutral and turn the engine off. Without touching the gas, your car will travel uphill over the tracks. If you cover the back bumper with baby powder before crossing the tracks, you’ll supposedly find baby fingerprints on the bumper afterwards.

Anson Lights – Anson, TX

Just outside of Abilene, you’ll find yet another creepy and unexplainable phenomenon of ghostly lights. On a clear night, drive east on US 180 until you reach a cemetery. Take a right at the country road near the cemetery and drive until you reach a crossroad. Turn back around and face the way you came. Turn off the engine and flash your headlights three times and a strange glowing light will appear in the distance, where there was none before. Legend has it that the light belongs to the spirit of a woman searching for her lost children.

While many know Jefferson as the “B&B capital of Texas”, it is also known as the “Most Haunted Small Town in Texas”. If you’re in town and looking for monsters, then look no further than The Grove. Built in 1861, it is now the most haunted home in Jefferson. Among many disturbances like moving furniture and strange noises, many who visit have reported seeing a Lady in White walking around the front porch and disappearing into the wall of the house.

At this restaurant in Waxahachie, your delicious fried catfish comes served with a side of ghostly encounters (and that’s not including the friendly ghost decor if you visit in October…) Rumors go that this house built in 1895 is haunted by past residents including a young man who likes to flirt with the ladies by brushing their shoulders or knees, and a woman named “Caroline” who can often be seen staring out the front window. Things happen so often that a sign at the front says “If you have a ghostly experience, please tell us.”

If you’re really looking for a scream, sleep inside the old priests and officers’ quarters of Presido La Bahia, the spanish fort where over 300 men were massacred within and surrounding the fort’s walls. At night, when the fort is empty, you can hear infants screaming and you might just run into a ghostly friar chanting Latin prayers as he paces the Chapel. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for a woman dressed in white wandering around the fort.

We tried staying a night in the fort, and you can watch us scream like little girls here.

For a good dose of historical spook, visit the house-turned-museum of Susanna Dickinson, the only white female survivor of the Alamo. While on the grounds, folks have seen the curtains of the front windows part at the middle and even the spirit of Mrs. Dickinson, herself, wandering around the property.

With ancient wells underneath, stories of multiple bridal ghosts wandering through the hotel, and hallways that look like they’ve come straight out of The Shining, this 125 year-old hotel has plenty to keep you spooked. To truly experience a scare, stay in Rooms 525 or 429, which are rumored to be the most haunted spots in the hotel. People have even had encounters with Colonel Driskill, himself, who died in 1890 and now enjoys smoking cigars and watching traffic from “his room”.

As if visiting this dim, candle-lit tavern with towering mounds of wax everywhere weren’t creepy enough, you might just be served your drink by a ghostly figure. The bar, which was built in 1847, is known as Houston’s oldest building and tends to be “haunted” by old bartender, Carl Truscott, who died in the 1990. Folks often hear an eerie voice shout out “Last Call” at strange times, or see figures appearing in the front windows late at night. More humorously, many folks have also complained of having to wait forever for a bathroom that ends up being empty or someone brushing up against them in the tiny one room stalls. Guess these ghosts are really enjoying indoor plumbing.

This past Saturday night in Fort Worth, Chet Garner won the 2016 Lone Star Emmy Award for Outstanding Program Host / Moderator / Reporter. It is the show’s 7th Lone Star Emmy, and Chet’s 3rd win in this category. We are incredibly excited to share this news with all of you.

“While this may technically be an individual award, there’s simply no way I would look half as good on camera without my amazing crew. I owe this award to their hard work , to my wife’s support, and to God’s blessing. Trust me, I didn’t get here on my own. I’m simply not that talented or lucky”

- Chet Garner

A huge “Gracias” to all of our fans, supporters, PBS stations and sponsors for making this show possible. Keep watching PBS this month so you don’t miss our new episodes for Season 8.

Also CONGRATS to all the other PBS winners across the state.

KLRU (Austin) – Human Interest Award for Arts in Context

KLRU (Austin) – Cultural Documentary Award for “El Despertar”

KLRU (Austin) – Topical Documentary Award for Arts in Context

KLRU (Austin) – Special Event Coverage Award for SXSW Flashback 2015

KUHT (Houston) – Director Live Newscast Award for HOU Decide

KUHT (Houston) – Arts/Entertainment Program Award for “Body Art”

KUHT (Houston) – Interview Program Award for Manor of Speaking

KTTZ (Lubbock) – Texas Heritage Program Award for “There Will Be No Bad Talk or Loud Talk in This Place.”

It was a dark and foggy morning as I pulled into the driveway of the Munster Mansion. The ominous house seemed to spring up out of nowhere as I turned the corner of Brown Street. I parked, took a deep breath and walked through the towering iron gates. As I knocked on the antique door-knocker, my heart thumped louder and louder. I wasn’t sure what to expect in this creepy house…a witch? Frankenstein, himself? Would this be the last time I ever saw the light of day?

However, to my surprise, there was no monster on the other side of the door, just the warmly smiling (and definitely non-monster) Sandra McKee, owner of the Munster Mansion in Waxahachie, TX. “Come on in,” she beamed. At first, I was taken aback by the dragon peaking out at me from underneath the staircase, but then I realized Spot was just as friendly as anyone’s pet dog would be.

This is a typical reaction for guests visiting Sandra McKee’s replica of the mansion on 1313 Mockingbird Lane from The Munsters, a 1960′s sitcom about a kooky family of monsters living an average life.

Since it was built in 2001, the Mansion has attracted fans and curious on-lookers, alike — which surprised Sandra.

“We just thought everyone would say, ‘Oh there’s just those weird people on the corner,’” she said. “But now we’ve been on tons of TV shows and have had fans travel all the way from Australia to see it.”

Each year, the McKee’s host a huge event so fans can mingle and get a look at the house, and this year’s event is on Oct. 21-22 from 7 p.m. to midnight. Ticket sales benefit the Ellis County Children’s Advocacy Center.

At the event, you can tour the Mansion, peruse the Munster’s gift shop, play tons of games and ride the Ferris Wheel in their backyard. You can even meet Pat Priest, who played the Munster’s beautiful, non-monster niece Marilyn. There will also be performances by a magician and a fire-breather.

The idea for the now-famous replica first started when Sandra and her husband, Charles, were looking for a home in 2001. After not finding the perfect house, she jokingly brought up the idea.

“I said to him, ‘You know, we could just build the Munster Mansion’ and to my surprise, he said okay,” Sandra said. “I just ran with it before he could change his mind.”

In 2001, the McKee’s began building their dream home. They didn’t have actual blueprints, so instead, Sandra meticulously watched episodes of the sitcom over and over again to get the house exactly right.

“I knew Lily [Munster] was about 5 ’4″, so I could tell by how many steps she took as to where to place things throughout the house,” she said.

Furnishing the house has been an ongoing process to find the exact match for each piece of furniture. Every room is laid out exactly like in the show, whether it’s actual props from the show (like the items on the dining room table pictured above) or recreations (Sandra had the electric chair in the living room custom-made).

As you roam through the cobweb-covered rooms of the Mansion, you’ll find Herman Munster reclining in the hazy living room watching reruns of his famous show.

Mrs. Lily Munster will show you around her eerily beautiful dining room, complete with tattered wallpaper and picture frames just barely hanging on the walls. But, careful, she’s just vacuumed (which she likes to do in reverse so the dust blows out and cakes the entire room…)

And if you look closely in the entry hall, you’ll find the famous coffin-phone. Upstairs, you can stir up trouble with mad scientist Grandpa Munster in his lab…but be warned, you never know what kind of hair-brained potion he’ll concoct next. You can even hang out with werewolf son Eddie and his stuffed doll, Wolfie in his room — which is full of more pointy objects than should ever be allowed around a growing boy.

You never know quite what you’ll find in this spooky and kooky mansion, so be sure and drop by on Oct. 21 and 22. The event is cash only and parking is at Finley Junior High, where shuttles will pick up and drop off visitors at the Mansion. Click here for more information.

Join us this time as we share stories from the road and a behind the scenes look at the first 5 episodes of Season 8. In the first 5 episodes we travel to Big Bend, Terlingua, Boerne, Conroe and Taylor. Bears, spiders, flyboards, BBQ, guns and more…join us for Season 8!!

Since Chet and I have started writing a Hill Country Travel guide, I’ve researched and visited pretty awesome towns like Gruene, Belton and Salado (which basically means going on adventures to see if they’re epic enough for y’all!) I recently traveled to Brady and Melvin, and it’s become one of my favorite trips!

Brady is located in the geographic center of Texas, making it the “Heart of Texas.” But on my journey deep in the heart of Texas (cue the clap, clap, clap) I found that Brady is Texas’s heart for so many more reasons than just being in the exact center — the true essence of our great state pumps through every inch of this little town!

My first stop in town was the Heart of Texas Country Music Museum, and I gotta admit that I was expecting this museum to just be a little homage to a few Texas artists with a tiny collection of photographs and replicas of costumes — and boy was I wrong!

Started by Tracy Pitcox, host of the internationally famous 1989 radio show “Hillbilly Hits,” this museum is filled with wacky and fun personal items from many country legends that were personally donated to Tracy by each artist.

You’ll find everything from handwritten notes by Johnny Cash and Loretta Lynn to a brick from Hank William’s home and a bumper car ridden by the King, himself, Elvis Presley! You can even tour Jim Reeves’ tour bus!

After catching a glimpse of a different type of life on the road in Jim’s tour bus, I hopped in my own car and headed to the center of town to find the especially regal-looking McCulloch County Courthouse. The beautiful stone building almost looked like a castle built out of Legos! And right in front of the Courthouse, I found the selfie-worthy “Heart of Texas” marker, signifying that I was literally in the center of Texas!

Next, it was time for lunch and I had been excited about where I was eating for quite a while. You see, I’d recently read an article in Texas Monthly raving about the inside-out burgers at Jacoby’s Cafe in neighboring town, Melvin. Yet, as I started the drive and my GPS lead me farther and farther from civilization into very flat farm lands… I started to get nervous. The growl of my stomach pushed me on.

When I finally arrived at Jacoby’s (which is a small cafe right next to the Feed and Seed store and below two ominously towering grain elevators), I walked into the dark wooden room and sat at a little booth among friendly farmers who all knew each other and were catching up with the week’s gossip. When I ordered my burger and was asked if I wanted fries, onion rings or the heavenly choice of fried okra – I knew I was in the right place and quickly ordered the okra!

As I waited on my food, I heard tidbits of conversations, my favorite being the man in the flannel shirt next to me saying to the waitress, “Well, you know I normally get the special, but I hear there’s a big to-do about one of your burgers, and I’m feeling left out cause I’ve never had it, so I’m gonna get that today.” And neither Mr. Flannel Shirt nor I were disappointed with our burgers.

I bit into my inside-out burger (which hardly fit in my hands it was so big) expecting the cheese, peppers and onions stuffed into the patty to spill out in an overwhelming ooze — but was pleasantly surprised that it was not oozy at all! The inside-out burger had just the right amount of spice and the meat had the perfect amount of juiciness.

As I ate my burger with strangers all coming together over good homecookin’, in a small town cafe surrounded by wide expanses and deep blue skies, I realized that I’d never been anywhere that exemplified Texas quite like this. Looking back at my day in Brady, and the surrounding area, I understood exactly why it’s called “the Heart of Texas” — the kind folks, one of a kind museums and good eats are exactly what makes Texas so great!

It’s a new season, which means we’ve got epic NEW SEASON 8 SHIRTS! Show off your love of Texas with this awesome Texas Forever shirt design. They are only here for a limited time, so hurry up and get yours HERE at The Daytripper General Store!

Halloween is on it’s way and Thanksgiving’s not too far behind. If you don’t already have a porch decked out in Jack-o-Lanterns and a fridge full of Pumpkin Pie – don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Here’s a list of awesome Pumpkin Patches across the state that are have a plethora of pumpkins for your perusing!

What: At this scenic farm, you’ll find a variety of pumpkins, both big and small in the Great Pumpkin Patch! You can also wander through the Lonesome Dove Maze and the Spooky the Pumpkin Kiddy Maze. You can even say “hello” to the farm’s furry friends at the new Barnyard, which contains Sheep, Pigs and Goats! Other activities include riding the grain train, competing in a ring toss or bouncing around the huge jumping pillow! Find more information here.

What: Visit the Dallas Arboretum to see a magical wonderland of over 90,000 pumpkins at the one-acre Pumpkin Village in the Pecan Grove. The village showcases pumpkin artworks like Cinderella’s Pumpkin Carriage and the state of Texas made completely out of pumpkins, as well as a garden of fall flowers. You can also find your way through the Haybale Maze and the Great Pumpkin Search Scavenger Hunt. Click here for more info.

What: APPLES AND PUMPKINS? Sounds perfect! At Love Creek Orchard’s Pumpkin Patch, you can pick fresh apples, choose the perfect jack-o-lantern pumpkin and buy a bale of hay! You can even play with cute animals at the petting zoo, enjoy unlimited hayrides, and take a tour of the apple orchard and cider mill! Find more information at their website.

What: While this patch has an epic selection of pumpkins in every size to choose from, it’s also got everything you need to celebrate fall. You can dress up a Scare crow, cruise on a Farm Hayride, get lost in a Pumpkin Vine Maze or cozy up to a campfire. And if horsin’ around with goats, chickens and pigs are more your style — they’ve got a barnyard where you can feed the farm animals. You can even check out their famous Christmas Tree farm…just for an early peek of course! This pumpkin patch will help you spend a day with your family having farm fun! Find information here.

What: At this patch, you can pick your pumpkin and your Maze! Adults will enjoy the Giant Maze and kiddos will love the special maze through the corn fields that tells the story of “Young Quanah and the Rabbit.” After you’ve wandered through the Mazes, you can hop onto a hayride and ride out to the patch where you can pick your perfect pumpkin, or shoot corn out of the corn cannon. After dark, there will be a Pumpkin Hollow, showcasing over 150 jack-o-lanterns glowing with designs of Disney, Star Wars, Peanuts characters and so much more. Learn more about the patch here.

What: Head to the Mainstay Farm for all kinds of pumpkin fun. You can browse through their pumpkin and gourd selection in the Pumpkin Tent, crawl all over Hay in the Hay & Play Barn, catch a ride on the hayless tractor hayride and fly through the fall breeze on the Flying Fox Zipline. At the end of the season, join the farm for an extreme day of Pumpkin Smashing. The farm takes a few leftover pumpkins and sends them barreling through the air from a 40 ft. tower into a wall on the ground…causing the most epic CRASH! Find more information here.

What: There’s no shortage of Fall Festivities at this Pumpkin Patch! You can get yourself lost in the 8 acre Corn Maze, peruse acres of pumpkins or walk through the Punkin Hollar (which showcases over 500 lit pumpkin designs!) Kids will love the Little Farmersville playground and SpringTown where they can ride a pony and watch Pig Races. If you’ve had enough Fall fun, then hop on the DewVille Express Railroad and take a look at the trees growing in Christmas Tree Forest. Learn about these activities and more at Dewberry Farm’s website.

What: Celebrate Harvest Season at the Sweet Berry Farm with all sorts of activities. You can stuff your own Scarecrow, hop on the Scarecrow Island Hayride or munch on grilled corn. Test your Texas knowledge at the famous 4-acre Texas-shaped Hayfield Maze where you must try to find all 12 of the cities that correspond to the questions on your game card! There’s also a Candy Corn Hay Maze for the kids to race through. And, of course, you can pick from various pumpkins, gourds and fall items at the Pumpkin Patch. Find more info here.

Recently, I made the journey that every Texan must make — to the magical, antique and wine-filled town of Gruene. I’d been to this Mecca of music and handmade crafts once before, but that time I made the mistake of going to the Gristmill at 7 p.m. on a Saturday without a reservation (gasp!), and waiting three and a half hours in a shoulder-to-shoulder crowd. I have no regrets (because let’s face it, those sangria’s are worth the wait!), but I decided this time to visit on a slower day and take my time exploring this old-fashioned village.

As I entered Gruene, surrounded by old brick and wooden buildings, I was transported back to the 1800s, and almost expected to see a horse and buggy pass me on the gravel streets. In fact, this “town” is actually an entire village that was built in the 1840s by German immigrant, Ernst Gruene. In the 1970s, it was re-discovered by UT student, Chip Kaufman, who had accidentally floated too far down the Guadalupe and spotted the water tower in the distance. After learning that it was about to be turned into a housing development, Chip petitioned to have the entire district added to the Texas Historical Commission, and with the help of new business owners, upcycled Gruene into the destination it is today.

My first stop in this historic district was the Gruene General Store, one of the district’s most popular stores which is housed in the 1878 mercantile building. As soon as I entered, it was clear to me why this store draws travelers from near and far — its license-plate-patched floors and hodge-podge of every jam, peanut butter and salsa embody the unique magic that is Gruene. In this one shop, I perused Tex-ified Christmas decorations, tried Jalapeno Peanut Butter (surprisingly amazing!) and heavily considered buying a jar of their homemade Maple Bacon Jam.

Across the street, I found the Gruene Antique Company in the 1903 mercantile building. It should actually be called “Antique World” because the store has rows and rows of shelves overflowing with precious treasures of yesteryear, from gold-plaited dishes to crystal jewelry.

I even found a glorious monument to beer — you know we, here at the Daytripper love a good Lone Star!

Down the street, next to the legendary Gruene Hall and Gristmill, I stumbled upon my new favorite shop, The Gruene Haus. This 1880s home-turned-shop has an overwhelming overload of Texan things. And if you like words as much as I do, then this is your haus – seriously, every inch of it is covered with metal signs, shirts and mugs with corny sayings about Texas, the lake and beer. There’s even a room full of “mantiques.” If you can’t find what you’re looking for here, then it doesn’t exist.

Gruene Haus sits on the edge of the historic village, and as I exited, I saw a steady stream of cars disappearing down the winding hill, away from Gruene. I couldn’t imagine why so many people would be in such a hurry to leave this enchanted land of shops, so I followed them to see what the hullabaloo was about. As I made the drive down the winding hill, I ended up right outside Gruene, on a bridge overlooking the rushing Guadalupe River. What a breathtaking surprise! I joined the folks pulled over in an abandoned parking lot to journey closer and take in the view.

Countless families floated past me on tubes as I marveled that this peaceful nature scene was just minutes from the bustling Gruene.

I drove back up the hill and grabbed a cup of joe for the road at Gruene Coffee Haus before saying my goodbyes to this mystifying town. As I left the magic of Gruene behind, the picturesque scene in my rear view mirror looked like a postcard from another era beckoning me to stay just a little longer.

ARE YOU READY TO PARTY?? Join us Thursday, Oct. 6 on the Georgetown Square to kick of Season 8 from 6-8 p.m. We’ll be premiering our Big Bend episode and giving away EPIC prizes. There is no RSVP necessary — all you have to do is show up and have fun! The party will be in the parking lot in the middle of 809 and 811 S Main St, Georgetown, TX 78626 (right next to the Grace Heritage Chapel).

We’ll have free Lone Star Beer to anyone of age. And delicious Rudy’s Bar-B-Q for only $5 that’ll get you a chopped beef sandwich, chips and iced tea. Sweet Lemon Inn will be selling desserts. And so much MORE!!!! It is a parking lot, so please bring lawn chairs for you and your family.